Capacitors in general, and specifically metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, are useful in a variety of electronic devices. Examples of electronic devices include radio frequency circuits or mixed signal circuits, and higher level electronic devices such as cellular telephones, global positioning systems (GPS) personal digital assistants, handheld e-mail devices, etc. Other electronic device examples include memory devices with capacitor data storage.
There is a continual desire to reduce the size of electronic components such as capacitors. Size reduction allows for smaller devices with more portability and/or increased density with more device capabilities. High-K dielectric materials have been used to allow some degree of size reduction and device reliability; however, further size reductions and increased device reliability is desired.
Praseodymium oxide is one high-K dielectric material that has been used in MIM capacitors to improve capacitor size and performance. Current deposition methods of praseodymium oxide such as sputtering or molecular beam epitaxy can produce dielectric films; however, there remains a need for improved film properties and device reliability.
What are needed are methods to form metal-insulator-metal capacitors that produce improved structures with improved properties such as desired levels of crystallinity, step coverage, mechanical properties, film continuity, etc. What are also needed are improved metal-insulator-metal capacitors, structures, etc. and devices utilizing these structures to take advantage of the improved properties.